Messi breaks Muller's record of 85 goals in a calendar year

The Argentine attacker surpassed the legendary West Germany and Bayern Munich striker with his two goals in the first half against Betis on Sunday night

Lionel Messi has set a new record of 86 goals in a calendar year after surpassing Gerd Muller's record of 85 strikes in Seville on Sunday night.

The Barcelona man achieved the feat with two fine strikes in the first half an hour against Betis, meaning he has notched up the tally of 86 in 66 games.

It took Muller just 60 appearances to set the previous record in 1972.

The Argentine started 2012 with two goals against Osasuna in the Copa del Rey, and regularly notched up doubles and trebles throughout the year for both club and country.

He scored exactly two goals on 21 occasions, and at least three strikes nine times, including a five-goal haul against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Muller hit 42 Bundesliga goals in 34 outings to fire Bayern Munich to the German title in 1971-72 and eventually 1972-73, and he also played an integral role in West Germany's European Championship victory. He scored five goals in the four finals games it took die Mannschaft to lift the trophy under the old format.

Muller was also boosted by Bayern's run of 21 matches in 37 days during the traditional pre-season period. Due to the summer Olympics that year, the German domestic football season was pushed back until September 16, so a new competition - the DFB-Ligapokal (League Cup) - was hastily introduced to ward off rustiness.

Muller scored 12 goals in five games in that maiden campaign, while he scored 10 goals against Galatasaray and Omonia Nicosia in the opening stages of the old European Cup.